1. Field
This invention relates to the field of radio wave antennas, and more specifically, to adaptive technology for grounding and increasing the bandwidth of currently-deployed antenna structures.
2. Background
Antennas deployed by the U.S. Navy must interface with commercial communications systems. The ability to interface currently deployed military and civilian technology is critical to command control functions. However, a growing number of commercial communications systems utilize bandwidths that existing military antennas cannot match.
The Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) can have developed technology to adapt existing antennas to provide increased bandwidth and a critical communications interface. One exemplary technology developed by SPAWAR is the Mast Clamp Current Probe (MCCP), disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,164,534 issued to Daniel Tam (Tam '534) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,994,992 issued to Daniel Tam et al. (Tam '992), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Tam '534 and Tam '992 teach an adaptive device that can be mounted to existing antennas to convert them to multiband capability without the downtime or redeployment costs typically associated with such capability. Tam '534 and Tam '992 teach a method and devices through which probes, transmitting lines, and receiving lines can be operatively coupled with existing antennas to increase the frequency range and the number of transmission and receiving lines to the number necessary to interface with private sector technology.
One problem overcome by the MCCP device is that it improves the voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) along a transmission line leading to the antenna.
Bandwidth, associated with the addition of transmission and receiving components, generally results in an increase in the measurable VSWR. However, as bandwidth and corresponding VSWR increase, it is known in the art that large amounts of power can be reflected to the transmission line. Large amounts of reflected power can damage the radio-transmitting systems. Tam '534 and Tam '992 taught a method and apparatus capable of controlling VSWR associated with bandwidth while preventing damage to the radio.
It is a problem known in the art that MCCP-enabled systems must be effectively grounded to form a complete circuit for transmission, and in such a manner that the systems are safe for use aboard a ship. Grounding methods and components in the art that alter the structure of the MCCP system also affect the critical frequencies achieved by the MCCP structures. Grounding structures known in the art (referred to as counterpoises) achieve unpredictable results and compromise mission-critical transmissions.
It desirable to have an MCCP-enabled system that is capable of being grounded and maintaining accurate, mission-critical transmission.